Extension homemakers fashion breast-cancer-awareness project

The Roadrunners Extension Homemakers Club is sponsoring a Bra Art Extravaganza. Entry forms for the bra-decorating contest will be available at the Faulkner County Fair and other upcoming events. Planning the extravaganza are, from left, Sandi Zimmerman of Conway; and Marie Wilson, Alice Brown and Shelby Wilcox, all of Greenbrier.

It’s hard not to think about the Road Runner cartoon character and his signature sound — “beep beep” — when talking to members of the Roadrunners Extension Homemakers Club. These Faulkner County women seem to move just about as fast as the Road Runner did.

These EHC members are involved in a variety of projects as they work to make a positive difference in their homes and community. One of their major projects is breast-cancer awareness, and Alice Brown and Shelby Wilcox, both of Greenbrier, chair that effort.

“We want to help meet needs that are not being met in the community,” said club member Sandi Zimmerman of Conway. “We have met with health care professionals who are involved

in breast-cancer treatment, as well as survivor groups, such as Roses Among Thorns, to find out how we can help.”

To raise awareness about this project, the Roadrunners EH Club will have a commercial booth at the Faulkner County Fair, which begins Tuesday and will continue through Saturday. Among the items that will be displayed are entries in the club’s Bra Art Extravaganza project.

Interested parties may enter the bra-decorating contest for $5.

“They need to provide their own bra and decorate it any way they want to,” Zimmerman said.

She said those interested in entering the contest can pick up entry forms at the fair and return the decorated bras there as well. If not, entries will be accepted for several months.

“We plan to auction off the decorated bras at a later date,” Zimmerman said. “All the money we raise will remain in Faulkner County for unmet needs for breast-cancer victims and survivors.”

Prizes will also be given in the Bra Art Extravaganza.

“The bras will be judged by a panel of people outside of Faulkner County,” Zimmerman said. “We hope to have some really good prizes.”

The decorated bras will also be on display at an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast that the club will sponsor from 6-11 a.m. Oct. 6 during a fall family event at the Greenbrier Event Center, 5 Lois Lane. Tickets to the pancake breakfast are $5 for adults and $3 for children 3 to 12. Children younger than 3 may eat free.

The Roadrunners plan to participate in the Greenbrier Health Fair, scheduled for Jan. 26.

And in the late spring or early summer of next year, the club will sponsor an event with Locks of Love.

“Kids will be able to grow their hair long, have it cut and donate it to Locks of Love,” Zimmerman said. “This will be something they can do themselves.”

Just recently, members of the Roadrunners EH Club founded the North Faulkner County Extension Homemakers Council as a way “to better serve all of Faulkner County,” said Zimmerman, who is president of the new council. Other officers are Maxine Coughlin of Mayflower, vice president; Marie Wilson of Wooster, secretary; Gerri Johnson of Greenbrier, treasurer; and Emily Harris of Greenbrier, educational chairwoman.

As of now, the Roadrunners EH Club is the only member of the new council.

“We hope to start other clubs,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman noted that a major project for the new council will be participation in the Quilts of Valor Foundation, which provides comforting and healing quilts to service members and veterans touched by war.

For more information on joining the Roadrunners EH Club or the North Faulkner County Extension Homemakers Council, call Zimmerman at (501) 450-9595.